The Color Red
by Snowy.Fullmoon
Summary: Korra is Captain of 'The Avatar' a ship handed down through generations but she has challenges ahead, between battling with other pirates, a dying ship and a betraying crew who can she rely on? None other than the slave with Golden Eyes that she recently purchased. Mainly Makorra, Bosami, A bit of Tahorra. Rated T.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I got the idea for this fanfic by some awesome fanart done by Emilia89 on Deviantart! Go check out her beautiful and stunning work! **

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The relentless, murky waves crashed against the side of the boat making the already tired wood groan and complain. They would have to commandeer another ship soon, she realized this, alas she did not want to. _The Avatar_ had been a family heirloom so to speak, passed down (or commandeered) for generations. It would be hard to say goodbye. Korra smirked, running a hand along the smooth banister as she sauntered down the stairs.

"One more voyage, aye old girl?" She whispered as she reached the weather deck, where most of the crew were running about collecting everything they could for shore. The crew had seen the old girl slow pace and creak more often than usual. They knew that this might be the last time they see the old girl.

"Alright ya polar dog mutts! Yer captain's bloody well speakin' so you better shut yer traps." A silky smooth voice called out from behind Korra followed by the familiar warmth of arms wrapping around her waist from behind.

"Now, now Tahno. Remember our deal? Hm? No displays of affection in front of the crew." Giggling softly Korra whispered over her shoulder to her lover, "Or I'll be throwing you off the ship next." She added, the threat clear in her voice. Sighing with relief as the two stick-like arms unraveled from her waist as the wind whipped her mischievous hair across her face, oh how the air disliked her, she wanted to go north the air takes the ship south. Korra never really cared for the wind, nor earth. Water..well that she didn't mind, she preferred it. Fire however, was a guilty pleasure of hers. The way it flickers in the wind, how it can give light but also destroy vessels how-  
She turned her attention to her now quiet crew, however small. On the far left was Tenzin, the chief navigator. Next to him was Pema, the ship's chef. Although 'chef' was just a fancy term for a slab of salted meat and ale. The whole ship had noticed that Tenzin had a 'thing' for Pema as did she, though they were both as blind as a badgermole for not seeing it sooner. Next to Pema was Asami, garbed in her traditional black and red. Asami was the ship's weapons expert, skilled in every weapon imaginable, and able to fix any too. Your pistol backfire? Asami can fix that! Your sword shattered on impact? You insult Asami with your petty problems, buy a better sword. Next to Asami was Unalaq, Noatark and Tarrlok, who helped man the riggings. Then there was Tahno, her love. Who'd been there through thick and thin even though she...No. Now was not the time. She had to focus. They'd lost a lot of good slaves during the storm a few weeks back and needed to 'resupply' in both flesh and food.

"Right then. Tenzin, Pema and Unalaq we need supplies. Food, water, ale.. anything you can get your hands on."

"Aye, aye Captain!" They exclaimed in unison before grabbing daypacks and making their way down the gangplank to shore.

"Asami, take Noatak and Tarrlock down t'the docks, see if you can rally up some coin eh? Buy some more weapons then pool whatever you have left. We'll sleep on shore tonight, methinks." This time the trio didn't even bother saluting they just pulled up their hoods and made their way down the gangplank, as sneaky as a rat.

"Tahno. We're going people shopping. Savy?" Tahno looked uneasy, shifting from foot to foot as if on fire his eyes not meeting hers, "Koi got your tongue?"

"Err..no. I just thought one of us should stay aboard in case they come back."

Korra waved it off dismissively, signaling him to stay before strolling down the gangplank onto solid ground.

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Slavery was a hard gig. One was usually sold in spite or jealousy and once you became a slave there was no coming back, at least not usually. Pirates, like herself, usually justify having slaves as giving them a better and rowdier life than what they would usually have as a kitchen scullery or maid. Port Sing Se was a major slavery hub, two hundred slaves walk in, two hundred walk out sold. A hard market, since the strongest, brightest and most attractive ones were usually the first to go as soon as daybreak which is when the market opens. While the young, old and untalented were usually sold a week after arrival, if ever. As Korra stepped into the Jasmine Dragon, a front for their not-so-legal trading, something felt off in the air.  
_So, now you decide to be my friend?_ She thought to the air around her. Not looking for a response, though she wasn't looking she heard it. In the tinkling of the chimes that hung above the bar and through the cries of patrons as their drinks wobbled on three-legged tables, which weren't sturdy in their own right any way. Knowing exactly where to go she made her way into a small hallway behind the bar, now she only need remember if it were the third door on the right or the second. Though she didn't have to think much as she remembered. Everything in this tavern is in three. Three metal tubes on the chimes, thre-legged chairs. Heaving the door open she made her way down the dank and musty stairs.

No matter how many times Korra walked in here it was always overwhelming, carved straight into the rock by hand was a huge cavern with multiple walkways that goes to spirit knows where! _Every where_ as Tahno would say, _Every where and any where. _Walking on dusty rock wasn't the easiest thing but if one had the right shoes then they would be able to. Thankfully Korra hadn't dressed for looks today rather comfort, which helped even more on her quest to find some able bodied slaves. Which wasn't hard to do especially considering that there were mostly men being paraded around.  
_Topless men_, Korra added silently. As she looked around her eyes locked onto that of a slave's. His golden brown eyes filled with so much sadness and despair, but something else lurked beneath, something darker. Anger maybe? His entrancing eyes were framed by two comical looking eyebrows, a slight nose sat between his eyes, thin lips and a longer face completed his look. Even with his hair all mussed up and dirty it somehow worked for him. She shook her head, breaking eye contact as she began to make her way over to his master, how DARE a slave make eye contact? Golden Eyes was probably a newer slave who'd been sold by his mother, or lover. Although when she marched over there she noticed that Golden Eyes was holding the head of someone in his lap, with a rounder face and a larger nose. A friend? Or brother? Son? Korra hesitated, how could she punish someone who even in his darkest moment still looks out for someone else? She realized with a start that she couldn't. She physically couldn't do it, because in his deep eyes she saw a part of herself that she wanted to forget.

"H-how much for the two of them?" She barked at the slave master after a shaky start.

"20 gold apiece." He proclaimed proudly.

"TWENTY APIECE? I could buy an army with that gold!" The tips of her ears began to turn deep red.

"Alright, alright. Twenty five for both."

Korra rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest in refusal.

"Twenty five for both or no deal." The slave master seemed to rethink, "Or you could serve me for a while." He waggled his eyebrows in deep suggestion.

Korra's lip curled in disgust as she dropped three gold pieces in his hand and twenty two gold _plated_ copper pieces with it. By the time he figured it out her crew would be sailing away on the rough seas. Ambling over to the two boys she cut the rope off the younger one first, reaching for Golden Eyes' rope she noted that it was already undone. As if he had pulled it apart then slipped the ropes back on so no one would notice. She shut her eyes, cursing herself hoping she hadn't just made the worst mistake of her life.

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**A/N: Ohmygosh! Yay! I've had a few ideas rolling around in ye olde brain but I've never put them down before! Now I have! Oh and follow, follow, follow! Check out my other LoK fanfics! Every review helps me become a better author!**

******Don't forget the 4 R's: Read, Rate, Review, Recommend!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm so sorry I haven't updated in FOREVER but I've been super busy with my summer holidays (halla!) and becoming obsessed with so many shows.. Gee THANKS Netflix. Mainly: Switched at Birth.. Oh my gosh. Anyway, what am I doing rambling on here? Enjoy! **

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**_Korra_**

Insomnia was a horrible thing to have on any given day or night.. whichever. However when one was sleep deprived on a boat they were usually assaulted by sea-sickness, any seafarers worst nightmare it would feel like you would heave your guts out through your throat onto any flat surface or even the ocean. You could stand there, for hours bringing up every last thing in your gut until it was empty and even then it wouldn't be enough.

Turning on her side she glared at the candle on her nightstand or what could be considered her nightstand when really it was just a barrel with a half melted candle and a burnt wick. She continued to glare at the wick until sweat began to form and drip down her face onto her scratchy sheets. Some days she would only have to glance at the wick and it would burst into flames, other times it'd be a lot harder. If not impossible. Those days where it would burst into flames were in fact the worst. How was she supposed to explain to Tahno that; no, we are not going to be burned alive, and, yes, that candle was burning _before_ they began their evening. It was embarrassing, degrading and scary. It could be considered witchcraft in which she'd be sold off or killed. Or even worse, sent off to one of those snooty, secretive guilds on _El Ciclo de Avatara, _a small island chain hidden by thick fog and no breeze. If any navigator or captain saw this fog it wasn't a hard decision to hightail it out of there and head far away. As in oceans away.

Sighing, Korra lifted herself off of her bed carefully as she moved her body to and fro to match the rocking of the ship. Sliding her feet into her boots she began to make her way across her cabin to her large bay window, sighing she missed the creak of the floorboards on this new ship. She had to give away _The Avatar _at their last port, trading her in at the docks for a newer albeit smaller ship. The bottom of the ship was a bright red which never lost it's sheen as the waves licked it's side. A strong, sturdy ship that won't break apart in the next storm, _The Fire Ferret _was small but it was fast. It wouldn't hold as much cargo but then again, a lot of merchant ships started taking on Republic ships as guards, which made pirating very hard if not impossible.

"Where ya goin' hun? Still ain't tired from before?" Tahno spoke from behind, his voice croaky.

There was a time when she found it incredibly sexy but recently it had taken a turn for the worse, especially after she'd picked up Golden Eyes from Be Song Me, a not so small city on the coast a few days journey to Ba Sing Se, a few weeks ago. Golden Eyes and his brother whom she'd started calling Green Face, who never stopped throwing up over the side of the ship over the new red paint, had been held up in the brig for the weeks they'd been on the ship.

Korra would have to get them to work, especially after the three _amigos, _Tahno, Unalaq and Noatark had hit up the nearest brothel and found themselves a larger ship. One belonging to none other than the King of Pirates. Strange that pirates had a king when they were outlaws.. Shaking her head she turned around to Tahno looking him straight in the eye, before realizing that while she was yelling at herself internally he'd fallen back to sleep in her bed. How dare he? Groaning aloud she made her way out of the room deciding that a few laps around the ship would ease her mind. Without realizing where she was headed she found herself at the entrance to the brig, which in truth was a small ditch in the front of the ship with iron bars covering a two by two hole which was two men deep.

"Bo..Shhh..I know you're hungry, and scared but you have to be quiet! Shhhh.." A quiet yet croaky voice said, one that hadn't been used in days. Which was closely followed by soft whimpering. Korra turned the apple in her hand over and over, she hadn't known that she had taken one but decided that the two slaves she purchased a few weeks ago would need strength, after all they'd be pulling the few rigging's from now on. Leaning over the iron bars she dropped the apple between them, hearing a soft _thunk_ as it hit the wooden bottom. Waiting a little longer she heard the _crunch_ of an apple being bitten into, happy she stood up and made her way to the Captain's Quarters, where she would kick out a certain someone hogging the blankets.

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_**Mako**_

Sitting in a dark hole was bad, but that man with the ice blue eyes and large hair was worse. He'd claim to be taking them on walks around the ship, or to the dining area or even to excuse themselves but instead he would drop down a lit match, burning them and the hay which used to be around them. Or taking Bolin and sticking him upside down over the edge of the ship which was becoming easier and easier each day, Mako assumed, as both of them were losing what little fat and what few muscles they had to begin with. Mako scoffed, a Doctor and a well, how could he describe him? One who found it easy with tap and ladies.

His thought was shattered when Bolin began to cry, his head resting on Mako's lap. Placing a soothing hand on his cheek he mumbled to him. "Bo..Shhh..I know you're hungry, and scared but you have to be quiet! Shhhh..." He stopped speaking, raising his hand to his voice box, Spirits was that really _his_ voice?! It sounded as if he'd hadn't used it in months. Then again, he actually hadn't. A soft _thunk_ sounded to the right of him, gently placing Bo on the floor Mako tried making his way over to the sound. A small round object grazed his fingers, he examined it as any would. Looking to the sky he saw a silhouette of a figure, with long hair billowing out, it could have been a man or a woman as long hair was the style for both genders. Taking a bite of the apple he continue to study the figure before the figure moved away. He would find this figure. He would confront them. But for now, he'll enjoy his apple in peace.

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**A/N: ********Don't forget the 4 R's: Read, Rate, Review, Recommend!**  


**********I love getting PMs from readers so please do that! Tell me how I went! I will update asap if Netflix (yeah I'm looking at you) would stop distracting me with it's suggested shows and movies. STOP MAKING ME OBSESSED WITH SO MANY SHOWS!**

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